Tom Dixon is a designer whose name is becoming a household one more and more everyday. The charm and innovation in his designs and products have been shining through in the recent years. His work has been the center of attention at many fairs and in several publications in the near past. The Dock restaurant in London is not a new project, yet is one to check out. Open in 2009, and yet noticing the details in this space, you could immediately feel the creativity and avant garde approach, a style which only recently has become extremely popular.
The Dock Kitchen was created in the Wharf Building at Portobello Dock, sublet by Tom Dixon to Stevie Parle to run as a restaurant. The design is intended to be rough, leading customers through six different environments: reception, deli, canteen, kitchen, salon and private dining room. Each area has its own identity led by the function of the area. The reception is clean and clear, signage being key to the identity of the space. In the restaurant the spaces become warmer and more rough, with soaped wood, exposed brick and warm brass coloured lighting. The open kitchen provides visibility through the restaurant and a sense of theater for the customers. Key to the open kitchen is the Beam kitchen by Ekoij and Tom Dixon. Beyond the kitchen lies the salon and private dining room, where the experience is calmer and more secluded.
The entire restaurant is designed with Tom Dixon range products and custom variations of these. Additionally one off pieces have been created including a reception desk, a waiter station and a screen. The restaurant has proved fantastically popular with critics and customers alike.